Ice chests in all shapes and sizes have been used for years to protect perishable materials while transporting or just storing them. Other than selfcontained freezable and reusable cooling blocks, plain water ice, as different from dry ice, is the most universally utilized cooling media. Most of this ice is purchased in one to five pound bags. This ice is either placed in and around the perishables or the whole bag of ice is placed into the cooler together with the other contents without opening the bag. Either way, after awhile, the ice melts and the resultant water ends up in the bottom of the cooling unit and may contaminate and ruin the perishable contents.
The instant invention is a device which forms a false bottom, raised above the actual bottom of the chest, but of open construction so that water will flow through it. This device will allow the water to collect at the bottom of the chest while holding all other contents up out of the water thus eliminating contamination and or spoilage. With the addition of a sponge like material, the melting water will be kept from splashing and in turn contaminating the contents.